PHILADELPHIA – For too much of the season, LeSean McCoy felt like a bell before you ring it.

It all changed Sunday night when the Eagles’ Pro Bowl running back got a chance to run.

McCoy’s labor and a stellar job by the Eagle defense elevated the Eagles to an electric 19-17 victory over the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field.

McCoy had just four rushes for 1 yard and one reception for 6 yards before turning a dump-off into a 12-yard gain late in the first half.

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McCoy switched gears in the second half rushing for 161 yards on 17 lugs.

The Eagles’ defense, inspired by Brian Dawkins, did the rest – just barely.

The Eagles were hanging on late in the contest. Nnamdi Asomugha and Ramses Barden traded interference penalties in the last minute setting Lawrence Tynes up for a 54-yard field goal attempt.

Tynes sent it wide left and the Linc erupted, but Andy Reid had called time for the Eagles, as he hoped to ice the kicker.

While Reid and his players sweated out the timeout, Tynes made his adjustment. But the second attempt was short with eight seconds left.

The Eagles didn’t trail until Bear Pasoce, the second tight end, broke free and caught a six-yard scoring pass putting the Giants ahead 17-16 with 6:45 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Giants picked on cornerback Asomugha, who returned to the contest after exiting with an eye injury.

But they answered with McCoy, who rumbled 32 yards on five carries to set up a 26-yard field goal by Alex Henery with 1:49 to go.

The defense did the rest.

With 1:43 left and no timeouts, Eli Manning drove the Giants into field goal range. But Barden’s 10-yard interference penalty proved to be too much ground for Tynes to make up.

Dawkins, his number retired, sent the crowd into a frenzy sprinting out of the tunnel in his jersey and pounding the ground the way he rolled during the days of his crazy routine.

The Eagles paid him back with lights-out defense.

Michael Vick was nothing short of sensational as he threw for 241 yards and one touchdown and for the first time this season, didn’t turn the ball over. The Eagles had no giveaways either.

Vick opened the scoring with a 19-yard pass to DeSean Jackson with 1:47 left in the first half. The Eagles spread the depleted Giants secondary out to get Jackson isolated with safety Stevie Brown, who was subbing for the injured Kenny Phillips.

Ahead 7-3 at the intermission the Eagles wore the Giants down with the ground game starting in the third quarter.

McCoy carried on four of the next five plays rushing for 60 yards in all to set up a 20-yard field goal by Henery.

After Manning marched the Giants 57 yards for a score, finishing it with a 14-yard pass to Cruz with 5:28 left in the third quarter, the Eagles pounded the rock again. At least by their standards.

This time Henery booted a 48-yard field goal for a 13-10 lead.

The Giants weren’t done.

They had a first down at the 10-yard line of the Eagles when Manning connected with Victor Cruz for 30 yards on fourth-and-one at the Eagles’ 40. The Giants fooled the Eagles, who were expecting another plunge, by lining up in the shotgun.

But Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie bailed the Eagles out on the first play of the final frame, out-leaping Martellus Bennett on a ball Manning forced into the end zone. Rodgers-Cromartie probably shouldn’t have run the ball out of the end zone as the Eagles started at their 15.

McCoy promptly took over getting six yards. Jason Avant caught a 23-yard pass. Fullback Stanley Havili went seven yards, McCoy rushed for 23 yards on two carries and before the Giants knew it Henery was kicking a 35-yard field goal giving the Eagles a 16-10 advantage with 9:25 remaining.

The Eagles even throttled David Wilson, stopping him after a mere 23-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Wilson averaged 39.2 yards on his previous four returns.